in stays

in stays

nautical Of a vessel, having its sails flapping as it moves into the wind. The captain says we need to keep the ship in stays for now!
See also: stay
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.
See also:
  • back and fill
  • back and fill, to
  • filling
  • brace aback
  • bracing
  • four sheets in the wind
  • four sheets to the wind
  • two sheets to the wind
  • billow out
  • before the wind